It took me twenty years

No wait

longer 

Fifty-five years to be more precise

But those first thirty-five don’t count

Youth

I listened to Eckhart Tolle’s book

A New Earth and read it 

and podcasted it

(is that a word)

Five times in total

Shazam

The light bulb goes on

And everything is clear

And I feel lonely

Like I’m in on a secret

for just the few who choose to 

Awaken

I become the Observer

and notice my False Self

my Influenced Self

I like to call it

because this Self is a product of my

Influences

And you are a product of yours

our stories our parents

our siblings and friends

Our community

and the expectations that go with who we think we are

Thoughts

Until one day you wake up

and realize it is all an illusion

you understand LIFE is an illusion

Ego, False Self, Influenced Self

the veils for our 

True Self

The illusion that we are 

our Influenced Selves

that we are our Ego

and all of the thoughts and things and stories

we attach to it as truth is

False

Our Influenced Self shows up

every single day

because of the hats we wear

every single day

because of the outside and inside forces

Human

But when we pull back

from these stories

All we have is the quiet

the presence of the moment

The greatest gift we can give and receive

The Present

The one we were born with 

The Self that has always been there

even if we had different stories

with different parents

siblings friends and communities

Constant Self

The Self of nonduality

of God, of the Universe

of Love

Eywa if you are an Avatar fan

The nameless and the named

Spirit

It doesn’t need to take twenty years

It takes a moment to realize

The space you give yourself

The space you give others 

Gives space for True Self 

Soulful living

So lift the veil

And watch your 

Influenced Self step aside my friend 

this is when the real magic happens

when every moment has

Meaning

And life feels full

and peaceful 

without drama

without Ego

with only what matters

LOVE